Millions of Americans are afflicted with heart failure, which is an inability of the heart to pump enough blood to sustain normal bodily functions. Every year, 15,000 to 20,000 of these patients require heart transplants but only a small fraction of these patients receive a transplant. Those patients who eventually receive a heart transplant wait about 200 days in the hospital. During this time in the hospital, the patient will need enhanced heart pumping function to keep them alive. Left ventricle assist devices (LVADs) have been helpful in this application, which is called “bridge to transplant”. Moreover, some are developing LVADs that may be permanently installed and eliminate the need for a heart transplant.
One current LVAD is a pump that bypasses the left ventricle. The pump is installed in the upper abdomen and pumps blood from the left ventricle through a first tube and into the aorta through a second tube. This device requires major surgery to install and requires 24 hour monitoring once it is installed.
Another type of LVAD is a tiny turbine that is installed into the left ventricle chamber.
Some side effects of current LVADs include aortic valve stenosis, thrombosis formation, and right heart failure. The constant pumping pressure that some of the LVADs generate, rather than the systolic/ diastolic cycle associated with a healthy heart, may cause some of this valve and right heart damage. Also, the right heart may not have the strength to push the blood through the mitral valve into the left ventricle because of the high pressures some of the LVADs generate.